DR. KATRICIA PIERSON SELECTED AS ECU’S NEW PRESIDENT

Today the Regional University System of Oklahoma regents announced Dr. Katricia G. Pierson as the next East Central University president.

Pierson will be the ninth president in the university’s 108-year history and the first woman to hold the office.

Currently, Pierson is the provost and vice president of Academic Affairs at ECU. She joined the university in 2011 as assistant vice president of Academic Affairs. Prior to that she held various administrative positions at William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri.

Pierson will become president on March 1, succeeding John Hargrave who became ECU president in 2009.

“I am honored to be ECU’s next president,” Pierson said. “We are in challenging times, particularly as we balance budget cuts with ensuring a high-quality, affordable education. But, I have seen firsthand the resiliency and innovation of ECU’s faculty and staff. I am excited to lead this remarkable group to create an even stronger and more vibrant university.”

Connie Reilly, RUSO regent and chair of the ECU presidential search committee, said the search was a thorough process. It included a national search, with considerations to proven leaders in both academia and private business.

“We wanted to ensure that we selected the best person with proven leadership and commitment to academic excellence,” Reilly explained. “We are confident that we have found that leader in Dr. Pierson.”

RUSO regent chairman and banker Lake Carpenter emphasized that innovation and industry partnerships are critical components of a university’s success, and were factors in the selection criteria.

Pierson is credited with recently creating two new graduate programs that originated from conversations with the business community and their needs. The Water Resource and Policy Management degree was the first to be started with private funding and has led to the creation of the Oka’ Institute, a sustainable water resource management center.

“This is an example of the great things we can expect from her as president,” Carpenter said.

“We are grateful for the time our search members committed to the lengthy process,” Reilly said. “Our committee ensured that we had diverse perspectives from multiple stakeholders.”

East Central University's mission is to foster a learning environment in which students, faculty, staff, and community
interact to educate students for life in a rapidly changing and culturally diverse society. Within its service area,
East Central University provides leadership for economic development and cultural enhancement.